What are the decomposers of a savanna biome?

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The decomposers of a savanna biome include bacteria, fungi, earthworms and insects. These decomposers break down organic material, which then frees up essential nutrients for the rest of the organisms in the biome.

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The soil in the savanna biome teems with bacteria, a critical decomposer. According to Opposing Views Science, the soil temperature in a savanna is perfect for supporting bacteria life, especially if that life is Acidobacteria. This bacteria thrives in dry, warm soil where it breaks down organic matter. Fungi are another critical component of the savanna biome. It needs little moisture to survive and often grow up around the occasional tree. Some of the species include crimson cup, sulphur shelf and turkey tail mushrooms.

Earthworms also are savanna decomposers, especially in the oak savannas of North America. Finally, insects are critical on this specific part of the food chain. Insects flourish where there are grasses because the grass acts as both the food and the shelter, making savannas a popular spot. In Africa termites are especially common. They devour dead grasses, which in turn aerates the soil, preparing it to grow even more grass. According to National Geographic, once these decomposers break down organic material, producers use the nutrients to grow, which attracts herbivores and then carnivores and completes the complex food chain.

Related Questions

Fungi, worms, bacteria, snails and slugs are all types of decomposers. Decomposers get the nutrients they need by eating dead and decaying materials. These organisms keep ecosystems healthy by ensuring plants get the nutrients they need to survive.

One of the only decomposers that is able to survive in the desert is bacteria because they are tiny and can survive in the air. Other decomposers, such as millipedes, earth worms and beetles, also live in the desert, but they have a difficult time surviving because they depend on moist areas.

Producers (plants) in the savanna food chain are mainly grasses and shrubs. The primary consumers (herbivores) include giraffes, zebras, elephants, gazelles, wildebeests and warthogs. The carnivores are leopards, lions and cheetahs, and the scavengers are vultures, termites and hyenas. The decomposers include mushrooms, insects and microorganisms.